Lamp-socket.



. intervals LAEZENCE WETTER, 6&3? LVAH.

.To oli 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that l., CLARENCE A. VETTER,

a resident of ittsburgh, in the county of-` 'ca-ndescent lamps, and particularly to the connection between the cap and shell thereof.

The object of the invention is `to provide n simple connection Which enables the cap and shell to be connected in any position relative to each other and to beessily disconnected by simple manipulation.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the drawings, Figure l represents s side elevation, partly in section, o". the cap; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shell; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the shell; Fig. l isa detail section .on the line 4 4, Fig. 2; end Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views, showing the cap and shell connected und the manner of disconnecting the same.

The cap shown in the drawings is formed in the usual manner et pressed sheet metal and is provided with a body portion. l tei minating in an annular skirt or flange 2, so arranged as to form en annular shoulder 3-at the unction between vthe skirt and body end which forms an abutment to limit inward movement of the shell into the cap. The skirt is provided `with s plurality of openings 4, which are repeated at frequent around its periphery, and which may be formed in any suitable .mennen either in a separate member attached thereto, or in the same sheet as the body l. As shown, said openings ere formed in the slrirt 2, which surrounded by a ring 5 having its edges rolled or turned. over the edges or the skirt to secure the same thereon. This covers snd'protccts the openings 4 :ind tgives the cap neat and pleasing appeersnce.' The openings may` be or any suitable shape are shown es substantially rectangular, having straight longit'u--.

dinally extending edges 6 and outer and inner transverse edges 7, 7, all of which are sharp or abrupt ere formed bynierely punching out the material o the skirt, and leaving solid portions, marked i3, between each tvfo openines,

The shell 8- the usuel constructora,

being shaped to receive the body or base of lamp socket end provided with the usual longitudinal slot 9. Seid shell is provided with suitable locking ineens for cooperating with the openings s in the socket cap. For this purpose it is provided with a. suitable number of projections l0, spaced at suitable intervals around the shell and formed by punching` up small portions of the metal from the body thereof. This is done in a manner to form a sharp or abrupt baci; edge 1 1 on each projection, from which the surtace of the projection is inclined toward the general surface of the shell and gradually merges thereinto. This produces :in inclination on each projection in two directions, nainely from the hack or end edge l1 toward the end edge 12 of the shell, and also in both directions peripherally of the shell.

The shell and cap are assembled by inserting the shell into the Cep and pushing it to place. The inclined portions of the projections 10 engage the end edges of the cap skirt and as the metal of the shell will yield sufficiently for this purpose, pass into the openings l in the skirt, the resiliency of the shell then causing seid projections to spring outwardly into said openings and secure the shell to the csp. The abrupt back edges il of the. projections l0 normally prevent esn cape oil3 the shellroni thecap and produce e irro and secure connection therebetween. By using three projections spaced et substantially regular intervals around the shell,

as shoivn. the cap shell will not separate by side bending; pressure on one thereof,

Y such as is caused by Weight of the socket and lernp when the lamp is in a horizontal position in n side Wall bracket.' lilo metter what position the socket may he in lateral pressure on the shell in any direction is resisted by one or two abrupt shouldered engegenents between the csp and shell. This feature avoids putting'on special locking or securinjg'devices for this purpose, which is necessery when the locks or latches between the end shell are diametrically opposite each other.

To enable the shell and csp to be readily disconnected by simple manipulation the projections i0 may be located on the shell in such position that the distance between their ebruptbecl edges li the end edge l2 of the shell is less than the distance between the outer end edges Z the openings Il csp.

simuler ebutnient Vand can be manincactured at low cost.

When the shell and cap are intcrlocked with each aber.I as shown in Fig. 5, the end edge l of the shell is therefore "paced away from the abutment E. This enables the shell to be pushed or telescoped farther into the cap until its end edge 12 strikes the abutment 3, as shown in dotted lines at A, Fig. (S. In this position the inclined portions of the projections i0 have ridden up over 'the inner end edges Ta ot' the opening et, so that the metal of thc shell at each projection has been forced slightly inwardly toward the axis of the socket. By then relatively turning the cap and shell the projections l0 may be caused to ride up onto the smooth inner surface of the skirt of the cap. rlhe cap and shell may then. be disconnected by pulling them apart, which causes the projections l0 to slide over the solid portions 13 of the skirt between the openings It is by no means essential, however, to have the latching portion of the shell shorter than the skirt of the cap, as described. If the abrupt edges ll of the shell proections are the Same distance from the end edge of the shell as the distance between the outer edges 7 of the openings 4 and the abutment 3, then the cap and shell may bedisconnected by a combined twisting motion, that is, a slight rotation to cause the projections to ride up on the solid portions 13 and a pull to separate the shell and cap.

The construction,described is very simple It wholly avoids the necessity of pressing in a portion of the shell in disconnecting the shell and cap, and which frequently so deforms one or the other of these parts as to make the socket useless. It also enables the shell and cap to be assembled in any position relative to each other, as the projections in the slellswill engage with the openings in the cap in a wide variety of different positions. This does away with the necessity of filing down the nipple in securing the lamp socket to a fixture. The external surface ci' the complete socket is smooth and unbroken and therefore presentsl a pleasing appearance.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe precise arrangements shown in the drawings, as obviously it is immaterial which of the two parts of the socket provided with the openings and which with the projections.

`What I claim is:

l. An'electrie lamp socket having a cap and shell, one thereof being provided with a plurality oi' openings and the other with a plurality of cooperating projections having abrupt rearward locking edges and inclined portions, the cap being elongated to allow insertion of the shell therein beyond the locking position, whereby to disengage the projections from the openings.

2. An electric lamp socket having a cap and shell, one thereof being provided with a plurality of openings and the other'witha plurality of cooperating projections having abrupt rearward locking edges and inclined portions, 'one of the members being elongated to allow insertion of the other member therein beyond the lockingA position, whereby to disengage the projections from the openings.

3. An electric lamp socket having a cap and shell, one thereof being provided with a plurality of openings and beyond them with an abutment and the other with a plurality of projections having abrupt locking edges, the distance between the edges of said projections and the end edge of the member bearing the same being less than the distance between the outer end edges of said openings and the abutment on the other member whereby said members when locked together may be disengaged by successive longitudinal and rotative movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CLARENCE A. VETTER. Witnesses:

GLENN H. LERESCHE, WILLIAM B. WHARTON. 

